Sean King, who plays Void Ghouligan from the extremely popular "The Ghouligans" posted a quick 18 minute short yesterday titled "This Mortal Coil" with the simple tag line "Based on a True Story". The based on a true story always gets me..I instantly through up the white flag and after reviewing countless films claiming the same, I almost set up a barrier against that "warning".
Before the review, let me give you the actual meaning of This Mortal Coil - Mortal coil is a poetic term that means the troubles of daily life and the strife and suffering of the world. It is used in the sense of a burden to be carried or abandoned, most famously in the phrase "shuffle[d] off this mortal coil" from Shakespeare's Hamlet. (thanks wiki :)
I believe the meaning of the title has more meaning than you think. The story quickly also became very believable, as I am sure this epidemic is happening in the modern society often.
This Mortal Coil is the story of love and devotion written by Paul Natale, creating a world that you control and falling for the love of your life. Vampires, more than ever are almost a desire to many, so when Matthew (Drew Moore), a simplistic introvert is captivated by a young Vampire, he is instantly lovestruck. Emily Wallace plays the young, wanna be Vampire Vixen and is totally believable in her role.
Similiar to George A Romero's Martin, Matthew wants to prove his love ...at any cost. Without spoiling the film, I will simply say...the was a breath of fresh air for me a viewer and a reviewer. King has proven he has talent as a director as Natale shows that he can write a script that relates to the youth of America and is not pursuaded by the Twilight rage. Vampirism is real....take a bite and watch!
Ello piglets. I'm sure you all know by now, your zombie pig pal is none to fond of the vampire genre and actually goes out of his way to avoid vampire films. (Blacula aside) Our story opens on a struggling band "The Winners" who just can't quite get the big break they are lookin for. After a gig in a dive bar and the the cute female bassist, Jennifer (Jessica Pare) leaves with fella who looks like a cross between a demonic Carrot Top and Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter, finds that her one night stand turns into more than she bargained for. I must say that the party scene was rather cool, as short as it was. Jennifer shows up for sound check the next day paled out creepy eyes and all. We can all figure out what happened, no? At the gig that night, Jennifer rocks out on the bass and the crowd absolutely is enthralled by her new look. It appears her new vampiness gives her that lil something the band has been lacking all these years. It seems their time has arrived. You know, come to think of it... I think this is how No DOUBT got their start.
Enter Eddie Van Helsing (Malcolm McDowell)seeking revenge on the head vamp, "Queenie". As you can guess, chaos and blood sucking wackiness ensues.
This is a solid film and LOTS of fun. Seriously, i enjoyed it from beginning to end and Writer, Director, and Star Rob Stefanuk has something to be proud of. This is a definite thumbs up. Solid acting and great supporting roles by McDowell and Alice Cooper as well as hysterical cameos by Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Moby and Dave "Kids in the Hall" Foley. Suck not only delivers in the comedy arena but there is plenty of blood. While its not a gorefest by any means, it has enough of the sauce and some cool special FX to keep fans happy. The transitions were reminiscent of a GUITAR HERO goes to Hell, which I completely liked. It had updated elements of the classic Dracula story right down to its French/Canadian version of Renfield.
Well done Mr. Stefanuk.
I can honestly say i don't have a bad thing to say about this movie, DESPITE it being a Vampire movie. Its soundtrack was well done (it may not be my particular flavor of music but it did well) and it was shot extremely well. I can make a thousand analogies and comparisons to a thousand other vampire movies... but they don't deserve the comparisons. Suck delivers. It does what movies should, it entertains!
Just remember, "Never trust a god damn vampire!"
Hey piglets, you all know that yer old pal Pigamortis isn't much on vampire flicks but I come to you with a tasty offering from the wayback 70s!
After a diplomatic meeting between African Prince Mamuwalde (William Marshall, who later went on to become the King of Cartoon) and a very Vincent Price-esque, Count Dracula(Charles Macaulay) go south, Dracula curses Mamuwalde with the infectious bite of undeath and sentences him to an eternity of the thirst for blood. Also thankfully Dracula has a quick wit and dubs Mamuwalde, BLACULA!
So the prince forced to lie dormant in a coffin for centuries until two interior decorators of questionable sexual preference, buy all of Count Dracula's estate and return to L.A. with their purchases. Including Blacula's coffin! Well, I'm sure i'm not giving anything away when I say I think you can guess who the first 2 victims are. Blacula just gets rollin from there. Now I'm not exactly sure why, but Blacula is now at the funeral of the one of his victims, Bobby. Here he sees a woman, Tina (Vonetta McGee) who looks like his long lost wife, Luva. As if connected by fate, Blacula he reconnects with her and Blacula turns from bloodthirsty monster to a tormented soul who simply seeks the peace of his past life's love. Of course the "HERO" starts meddling and cock blockin our African Prince of Darkness.(No pun intended) Chaos ensues and in the end we have a blue/green vampire smackdown.(The make up is awesomely horrid) I never DID understand why Blacula got hairy eyebrows/cheeks when he "vamped out". Be sure to look for the Blacula tribute to DONKEY KONG in the end fight/chase scene. Again Blacula becomes the "sympathetic monster" in the films finale and to me, thats classy.
Now i can't really tell you anything else which you probably don't already know about this one, piglets. The bodycount rises as the vampirism spreads throughout the streets of L.A. This movie was $4.99 (you can find it just about anywhere for a similar price)and it is completely worth it just for the AWESOME social and fashion anachronisms. (Skillet and the club scene alone!) Even though this is the epitome of blaxploitation and all very tongue in cheek, there is some hidden social messages thru out the film. A lot of it has to do with the times. There are many instances of racism eluded to if not outwardly thrown at you as far as "the man's" view on blacks and gays. Its these "messages" that give this layers(although quite thin layers) which make this more than just another shlocky horror from the 70s.
Now, i feel the need to share with you loyal readers a lil somethin that makes this movie so very special to me. Back when i was a young piglet of 7 or 8, yours truly was in a hospital, my mom was visiting someone and I was in the hallway left to my own. Out of nowhere there was a patient, an older woman, dressed in a hospital gown, came running down the hallway(In my general direction, not directly AT me). Her arms flailing, screaming bloody murder. She was restrained by orderlies and brought back to her room. Nothing terrible, right? It was a week or so later i watched an airing of "Blacula" on WOR tv, channel 9. Now there is a scene in Blacula... at the morgue... That's all I'll say. Scarred me for life because in my mind, the woman in the hospital has been replaced by that woman in the morgue.
If you can, I highly recommend you pick up this classic in 70's blaxploitation. So put on your 7 inch leather heels, your groovy butterfly collar shirt and pick out your afro and watch this flick with someone you dig.
WARNING: I offer this to you, if you happen to pick up Blacula 2: Scream Blacula Scream... even though it stars the always sexy Pam Grier and Mamuwalde's role is reprized by a returning William Marshall, please don't expect it to live up to the first one's entertainment value. That is all.
